Supervisors info:
Γονιδάκης Φραγκίσκος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ελένη Λαζαράτου, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Καλλιόπη Τριανταφύλλου, Ψυχολόγος PhD, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: Physical exercise and healthy diet have a positive effect on health. However, the pathological extension of both behaviors, namely exercise dependence and orthorexia nervosa, can lead to negative results. So far, literature on these behaviors in the context of high-intensity sports is limited. At the same time, the need for research, which will examine possible risk factors, is highlighted. Crossfit is a popular type of high-intensity training, where the goal is the achievement of maximum physical performance.
Aim: The present study aims at investigating exercise dependence and orthorexia nervosa in Crossfit, as well as examining the role of perfectionism and self- compassion in their manifestation.
Methods: The sample consisted of 110 people who attended Crossfit programs and 131 active gym members. The Exercise Dependence Scale was used to assess exercise dependence, the ORTO-15 to assess orthorectic behavior and the Almost Perfect Scale and Self-compassion Scale to evaluate perfectionism and self-compassion respectively.
Results: 19.8% of crossfitters and 3.8% of gym members were at risk for exercise dependence. 11.7% of participants in the Crossfit group and 10% of participants in the control group had orthorectic symptoms. There is association between the scores on the two behaviors (r = -. 20, p <0.05). In addition, the dimension of perfectionism high standards predicted obligatory exercise (β = .85, SE = .28, p <0.05) and orthorexia nervosa weakly (β = -.14, SE = .07, p <0, 05), while the dimension of discrepancy predicted only exercise dependence (β = .64, SE = .12, p <0,001). Self-compassion was not found to predict any of the independent variables, however it was moderately correlated to exercise dependence (r = -.34, p <0.001).
Conclusions: The study suggests that exercise dependence is more evident in Crossfit compared to gym and may be accompanied by orthorexia symptoms. Orthorexia nervosa is a noticeable phenomenon in the population of active exercisers. Perfectionism is a risk factor for obligatory exercise and orthorexia, while the role of self-compassion proves to be limited. A more demanding selection of target populations is encouraged in order to better understand exercise dependence, orthorexia nervosa and their personality background.
Keywords:
Exercise dependence, Orthorexia nervosa, Perfectionism, Self-compassion, Crossfit
